The present invention relates generally to eyelash curlers and more particularly to a novel eyelash curler.
Eyelash curlers are well-known devices used in the field of cosmetics to crimp or to bend upwardly upper eyelashes in such a manner as to make them appear longer and more full, thereby enhancing the appearance of the adjacent eye. Examples of a first type of conventional eyelash curler are disclosed in the following U.S. patents, all of which are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Design Patent No. 133,455, inventors Tuttle et al., issued Aug. 18, 1942; U.S. Pat. No. 2,159,912, inventors Squire et al., issued May 23, 1939; U.S. Pat. No. 2,391,047, inventors Tuttle et al., issued Dec. 18, 1945; U.S. Pat. No. 2,460,317, inventors Tuttle et al., issued Feb. 1, 1949; U.S. Pat. No. 2,602,458, inventors Tuttle et al., issued Jul. 8, 1952; U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,893,404, inventor Flynn, issued Jul. 7, 1959; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,412, inventor Nist, issued Dec. 15, 1981.
Said first type of conventional eyelash curler typically takes the form of a metallic scissors- or pliers-like instrument comprising a stationary member and a movable member, the stationary member and the movable member being pivotally interconnected. The stationary member typically includes a wire-type or metallic member shaped into a thumb loop at the bottom and a pair of spaced-apart posts at the top. The tops of the posts include off-set arms so as to form a yoke. An arcuately-shaped jaw of rectangular cross-section interconnects the off-set arms. The movable member typically includes a wire-type or metallic member shaped into an index finger loop at the bottom and a pair of generally-parallel arms at the top. A support structure is connected to the top of the movable member and extends upwardly therefrom. An arcuately-shaped movable jaw of generally U-shape in lateral cross-section is fixed to the top of the support structure. The ends of the lower jaw are shaped to define sleeves slidably mounted on the off-set arms of the stationary member. A resilient synthetic or natural rubber or plastic pad is removably seated within the lower jaw.
To crimp a set of eyelashes using the aforementioned first type of conventional eyelash curler, the index finger loop is pivoted away from the thumb loop, and the eyelashes to be crimped are positioned between the stationary jaw and the pad. The index finger loop is then pivoted towards the thumb loop, thereby causing the pad to be moved upwardly into contact with the stationary jaw. As the rectangularly-shaped stationary jaw presses against the pad, the pad becomes compressed, forming a square-cornered "U." In this manner, the eyelashes trapped between the jaw and the pad become crimped at the two 90.degree. angles located at the bottom corners of the "U."
The present inventor has identified certain shortcomings with the above-described first type of conventional eyelash curler. For example, the severity of the square-cornered "U" shape of the stationary jaw gives a somewhat artificial appearance to an eyelash crimped thereby. Also, maintenance of the stationary member of the curler at a stable and stationary position throughout the crimping procedure is often difficult to achieve since the curler is typically either not rested upon a person's face or, at most, is rested upon a person's face at a single location, i.e., where the top of the movable member comes into contact with the cheek. Such instability is undesirable since it can lead to, for example, the pulling out of eyelashes or the pinching of an eyelid during crimping. The problems of pulling and pinching may be compounded by the tight grip exerted on an eyelash by a square-cornered "U" shaped stationary jaw. In addition, because the pad is solid in cross-section, substantial pressure must be applied by the stationary jaw against the pad to cause the pad to be compressed into the proper shape for the eyelash to be crimped. Furthermore, because of its size, shape and design, the foregoing curler is not particularly amenable for use in curling eyelashes for eyes of substantially different size and shape. For similar reasons, the foregoing curler is limited in its capacity to enable a user to "custom-curl" a set of eyelashes, e.g., curling less than an entire set of eyelashes or curling the eyelashes located near the outer end of the eye to a greater extent than those located near the middle of the eye.
A second type of conventional eyelash curler is disclosed in the following U.S. patents, all of which are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Design Patent No. 304,864, inventor Stein, issued Nov. 28, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,165, inventor Stein, issued Nov. 15, 1988; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,944, inventor Stein, issued Dec. 20, 1988. Said second type of conventional eyelash curler typically comprises a sleeve and a plunger, the plunger being slidably mounted within the sleeve. The sleeve, which is typically made of molded plastic, is shaped at its top end to include an upper jaw and is shaped at its bottom end to include first and second finger grips. The upper jaw includes a curling bar member having a slightly rounded bottom surface providing a form around which the eyelashes may be bent. The upper jaw also include a lid guard which is said to be useful in spacing the upper jaw from the eyelid at a location on the eyelashes where maximum lift of the eyelashes can be achieved when they are curled. The sleeve, which is typically also made of molded plastic, is shaped at its top end to include a lower jaw and is shaped at its bottom end to include a thumb pad. A resilient pad member, in the form of a cylinder with a tongue, is secured at its bottom in a groove in the top of the lower jaw. The pad member presents a convex surface towards the curling bar member, with which it is aligned.
Said second type of conventional eyelash curler further comprises a spring disposed within the sleeve and around the plunger for use in biasing the lower jaw of the plunger away from the upper jaw of the sleeve. The eyelash curler is operated by positioning the curler so that the eyelashes to be curled are located between the upper and lower jaws. Then, with the index finger placed on the first finger grip, the middle finger placed on the second finger grip and the thumb placed on the thumb pad, the thumb is used to push the plunger into the sleeve until the pad member of the lower jaw is brought into contact with the curling bar member of the upper jaw, thereby closing on the eyelashes disposed therebetween.
The present inventor has identified certain shortcomings with the above-described second type of conventional eyelash curler. For example, said curler appears to be substantially less effective in curling eyelashes than, for example, said first type of conventional eyelash curler and appears to require that greater force be applied to curl eyelashes than is required by said first type of conventional eyelash curler. In fact, apparently in recognition of this shortcoming, a commercial embodiment of the second type of curler includes a recommendation that the resilient pad member be heated with a hair dryer or the like prior to use. As can readily be appreciated, however, such heating can be inconvenient and potentially dangerous to the eye. Another shortcoming with the aforementioned curler is that, because of its size and design, the curler obstructs the vision of the eye whose eyelashes are being curled when the lower jaw of the curler comes into contact with the upper jaw of the curler. Still another shortcoming with the foregoing curler is that it suffers from similar types of instability problems discussed above in connection with the first type of conventional eyelash curler. Still yet another shortcoming with the foregoing curler is that it suffers from the same types of limitations in enabling a user to custom-curl a set of eyelashes.
A third type of conventional eyelash curler is disclosed in the following U.S. patents, both of which are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Design Patent No. 328,504, inventor Davies, issued Aug. 4, 1992; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,439, inventor Davies, issued Feb. 19, 1991. Said third type of conventional eyelash curler typically comprises a first arcuate curling element having end regions and a middle region, a second arcuate curling element having end regions and a middle region and adapted to co-operate with said first arcuate member to curl eyelashes, a first support member for supporting said first arcuate element at said middle region of said first arcuate element and having a portion providing guide means, a second support member supporting said second arcuate element at said middle region of said second arcuate element and slidably engaging said guide means for enabling sliding relative motion between said support members in the sense to move said first and second arcuate elements towards and away from one another, and a third member pivotally mounted to one of said support members and engageable with the other of said support members to urge the arcuate elements relatively towards one another.
The present inventor believes that said third type of conventional eyelash curler suffers from many of the same infirmities discussed above in connection with said second type of conventional eyelash curler.
Other patents that may be of interest include U.S. Des. Patent No. 210,180, inventor Solomon, issued Feb. 13, 1968; U.S. Pat. No. 3,547,135, inventor Roos, issued Dec. 15, 1970; U.S. Pat. No. 1,667,556, inventor Lewis, issued Apr. 24, 1928; U.S. Pat. No. 2,569,246, inventor Marcellus, issued Sep. 25, 1951; U.S. Pat. No. 2,684,679, inventor Kislig, issued Jul. 27, 1954; U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,699, inventor Skandalakis, issued Oct. 1, 1974; U.S. Pat. No. 2,411,519, inventor Byron, issued Nov. 26, 1946; U.S. Pat. No. 2,552,095, inventor Hickey, issued May 8, 1951; U.S. Pat. No. 1,951,130, inventor Cohn et al., issued Mar. 13, 1934; U.S. Pat. No. 2,129,755, inventor Eisenman, issued Sep. 13, 1938; U.S. Pat. No. 2,393,848, inventor Wasserman, issued Jan. 29, 1946; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,584,668, inventor Brown, issued Feb. 5, 1952.